I totally feel your pain.
My first set of dreads I wore from the age of 20 until I got a job at the steel mill (well, until I went in for the interview at least) at 25.
My second set lasted from age 26 until I shaved them off just before I started College two years ago (at 32). I shaved these ones off because my hair is thinning a lot on top, and the front dreads had fallen out leaving me with three-quarters of a head of dreads, and a pouf of curly hair in front.
I have a few pics of me with my dreads out there...